The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-07-24
RUINATIOI or RlYBURN.
WHERE Is THE RESIDENCE POR-
TON or THE CITY?
A Hotel Clerk Grows Warm In Dis
cus,ing the Destruction Of a
Fine Avenue.


II there Is any one class OF people |
who know more about views OF visit.
ing strangers on any and every sub
itct, that class are the hotel clerKs.
An impromptu conversation with
them by one who Is on terms OF friend
ly intimacy generally brings TO view
many phases OF human na.ure
hitherto unthought OF, besides add.
Ing interest TO those long aimee cast In.
TO the background as threadbar An
APPEAL reporter vac yesterday thrown
in this very poeition, and from ons
topic TO smother the sffsble, we'll
ported and fluent clerk found himself
discussing the peculiarities Of Mem.
pbis.
Probably there 10 rot a citlE,n OF
Memphis" Eaid no, "who has not at
one lime or another been accosted by
strangers with The remark, where
can / see the residence part OF your
cityf And equally certain 10 the
aforesaid citizen 10 pause, and, while
he feels that he 10 blushing at his sp.
parent inability 10 answer such sim
pie inquiry, he Is rapidly revolving his
knowledge OF the city In his mind, and
II be Is profane man he Ia apt to end
with q mental ejaculation OF, We'll,
where the hi Is iI3' and then he
will proceed to tell the guilelsss stran-
ger TO take such and such car line,
going this or that way, and as the
stranger boards the csr, the citiEsn
will feel certain that that car limo goes
along more ragged alleys, tin can lots
and negro settlements, with probably
q rag shop or brick yard thrown 10,
than any o.her he could have recon.
msndsd.
"Why don't you study the city,
then. and give the inquirer fair
deal2"
"The fact Ia that Memphis, unlike
other cities, has no certain streets de.
voted exclusively TO residence pur.
posss, and consequently the stranger
Is not impressed with tho handsome
honsei he may ees in any one trip
into the subuib !, because OF their usua
unsishtly and Homogeneous surround.
| Nhkts ANg bAaANAI hNNhuOu IhNh vi Va
ther eide by an unbroken row oil beau
tliul homes adorns any part OF Mem
phis. Cottage and palatial mansion
may stand tide by aide and both bs
pleading TO the eye, bat when cottsgi
or mansion Ia nanked on one side bJ
negro teltlemeut OF unwashed ra
tives and NANCY dogr, and on th,
\ other eide with q junk yard, every
body who eeeB this array 10 goiIg away
filed on'y with difgusi. In ridinl
about the city the pSst fow days wa
moot iorcibly impressed with thi
heltHrskelter building idea 90 psculiE
10 Memphis. Everyone who has liyeC
any length Of tina In Memphio ha
probably heard Riyburn avenu
spoken OF with pride, and II he ha
never boen out there he has vaguely
conceived tho idea that II is ore Of thu
beauty spots Of M'mphis-a residenc'
street In the full eente Of ID,
word, occupied by quiet citizen
who have pleasant homes, whici
they enjoy and beautiiy as their mean
will admit, each one striving 10 rende
. his homo attractive, and add 10 d.
appearance OF thinss about him. SucI
an idea would no. be erroneous. 70
long time that avenue b9asted O
having but one ttors--a tiny affair
along lie entire length. Some Of Ia
oldest family residences OF the city af
there 10 DO seen, and for ysars Thea
people have been endeayoriug (
build mp such a nelghborhood on
there on would be an ornament {
Memphis and pride TO every tru
citizen OF this community. BY tn
generosity Of the property oynen tn
uireet was widenod irlm mario,
country road intoa brad avenue; e,
penslye grading was done al priyal
; expensts, lights were maiutAine
along the avonus In the zane way
! Thousands OF dollars were spent /
putting down gravel roadway 70
. public use by private subscriptions
everything that has made X ybhrn n
emu wha. it Is today Is due TO the III
etalty Of its IetdGnin, and | do n,
!, fear contradiction whom | say, thi
! avenue has been an ornament ~ Men
phls. use tho past tense advised,
Tor what R,ybuTn avenue hes bsen,
will be no more"
Hero the speaker stopped, bhoo
!, hs hesd m1urniully aud went awG
2 into day dreAinlatd. lie appeared
u take a special pride IN that thoroug
fare, aud when his ominous words Il
!, dicated that dire Calamity hal iAllt
V upon IL, bis feelings OF mortidoAtiC
u became overpOworng. HIS r,feciol
}, were not interrupted, aud NJ the er
OF fyo minutes he resumed:
?, "The hrst blow ltTeceiyed was xh'
y five railroad tracks were laid across
/, at Broadway, aud that portion OF u
= street became switching yard
"a cars and locomotives. The last inv
n sion Ia tho building OF q mammo
a Gotten ahed on the avenue, who
brick walls are 10 be extended o
over the ten feet Of ground donated
. former owners for Widening the sire,
!, 90 that one end Of the shed will pr Il
!. on, over whore the sidewalk ought
n DO. Not only this, bat the gravel ro
. built NJ private expense Is TO be mo
a opollged and worn out hereafter
n drsy loads Of cotton handled by nes
10 drivers, who. with popping whips n
language none too choice, will ma
10 thinso very lively out that way. &c
10 sidering that vacant land aboun
10 In every direction, and that
o cit'LsnS along RAyburn avon
N have responded generously 10 eve
10 cali for public improvement, can u
", wondered NJ That they are indignS
u. over this new inyAtion Of their priyA
q, especially whom tim only object
~ putting a cotton SHE'D In that vicib
ID must BIO 90 tAte advantage OF l
p giayelsd street butt al private ,
=, pense3 There Ia no attempt at arts
ill cratic exc usiyenos,. on Riybr
"A, avenue, ut when people build hon
40 and beauiiiy their eurioundinss Il
a adding atiIAchyonoei 10 orr city, a
N | Ia s.tnh allnfla tlay alf Md Ia Iuol